A little while ago, in pursuit of a more realistic Infinite Flight experience, I downloaded and began paying for a third party app called Infinite Passengers. It works fantastically; the boarding music definitely enhances the piloting experience and the takeoff callouts have saved me from forgetting to raise the gear (something I’ve been much better about lately). However, one thing I have not yet had the chance to use, however, is the enhances ground proximity warning system (EGPWS). While flying a KAL A380 on casual I did once hear the sink rate warning, but there whole point of the ground proximity warning system is to avoid, well, ground proximity. So my question is: just how good is Infinite Passengers’ EGPWS?
Let’s find out.
Disclaimers
This accident is not meant to replicate or imitate any real-life aircraft occurrences. It is a purely fictional scenario.
For aesthetic purposes, visibility has been improved in the replay by selecting a date with a full moon. In the real flight, it was much darker.
Sammy has been included in this post with his permission.
This post is not an endorsement or criticism of either Infinite Passengers or its developers.
This experiment was done on the casual server with no other aircraft in the vicinity so as to minimize disturbance to other players.
No ATC were present at the time of this experiment. Any mention of ATC is purely for storytelling purposes.
Our flight this morning begins at Boise. We plan to make a nice two and a half hour flight to Minneapolis on the 737-800. Onboard we have quite a few passengers, including @Mort who is seated in a window seat just past the wing.
Setting up Infinite Passengers. To my surprise, they actually don’t have Sun Country boarding music on here, so I just used the Sun Express sounds (I don’t know if they’re anything alike but it was the closest option and I’m lazy). As you can see, EGPWS is turned on.
Taxiing out to Runway 10L. Sun Express boarding music is playing in the background during this normally monotonous time, and it’s low-key great. I just wish it was Sun Country, though.
Taking off from 10L, as seen from Mort’s view. He’s flown in and out of Boise a couple times before so he’s no doubt rather familiar with this airport. More familiar than me, who incidentally is at KBOI for only the third time.
Positive rate, gear up! (Infinite Passengers called this out for me.)
While climbing out, things suddenly begin to go awry. The first officer experiences some kind of medical problem and is suddenly incapacitated.
I immediately call ATC to request a return to the airport. This request is granted. However, an error in the ATC’s message puts on on a dangerous path: he instructs us to turn left heading 280, rather than to turn right, and to descend to 4,300 feet MSL. Unbeknown to the both of us, we are now on a collision course with the mountains to the north of Boise Airport.
As we descend and turn left, Mort probably realizes something is wrong. He’s been here before, and he knows that there are mountains to the north of this airport. However, he cannot get a good idea of our altitude in the darkness, and assumes we’re high enough to clear them.
As we close in on the mountain, the GPWS remains silent. Thirty seconds from the projected impact, there is nothing—no terrain ahead, no pull up.
Even as we are only moments away from impact, the GPWS says absolutely nothing. I listened very closely and I know Infinite Passengers was engaged because it made callouts during takeoff.
Then, in a terrifying surprise to all the occupants, the aircraft hits the top of a ridge, losing speed and dropping below 4,300 feet. The autopilot applies TO/GA power and pitches up to try to regain speed and altitude, essentially performing the terrain escape maneuver by itself, but it’s too late. Before the situation can be rectified, the 737 flies into a mountain—no callouts, no warnings, nothing.
This is Mort’s view of the crash. He’s probably okay. Maybe a couple scratches.
Anyways, that was interesting. I’m not sure why the GPWS didn’t sound but either way it was a fun experiment. Even in light of this lapse I would still highly recommend Infinite Passengers, it really takes the IF experience to another level.
Thanks for reading! See y’all next time🔥